Google Expands Source Links in AI Mode and Keeps Click Data Hidden
Google said it has expanded the presence of source links within AI Mode and AI Overviews and will show them higher up in answers, but it still does not share click data with publishers.
Google stated that it has significantly increased the presence of embedded links within "AI Mode" and "AI Overviews," and that it will display these links in higher positions within answers and increase their display frequency, according to a report by the "DigitalToday" platform.
The company explained that it is expanding the "link carousels" it launched in May 2026 to include more sites and languages, and is redesigning end-of-answer links to appear with thumbnails.
As part of testing, Google is testing clickable profiles for creators and publishers within video results in "AI Mode" in the United States, Canada, and India, for accounts with at least 10,000 followers. The company reported a sevenfold growth in the use of "Preferred Sources," and that more than 400 publishers have joined the news content licensing program.
Despite these expansions, Google still does not provide click data in AI performance reports, leaving publishers without precise figures on the volume of traffic coming from its answers.
What do these terms mean?
AI Mode: A search experience within Google that answers the user's question in text instead of displaying a traditional list of links.
AI Overviews: A summary generated by Google that appears at the top of search results, including links to certain sources.
Preferred Sources: A feature allowing users to rank websites they trust to appear first in answers.
News Content Licensing: An agreement under which a tech company pays to use publishers' content in its products.
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